Sushi Tetsu. You know it, but you don’t know anyone who’s actually taken up one of its seven seats. Perhaps it’s the mystery, the promise of exclusivity, that makes a Tetsu evening so coveted. No: it’s the sea bass, the tuna sashimi, the turbot, and the sea urchin, which, according to critics, are of the best in the city. An omakase outing relinquishes all responsibility to the chef, meaning a patron’s sole duty lies in securing that elusive reservation. It may take 20 phone calls, or 50, or 100—but once you’re in, those many frustrated dial tones will seem a reasonable bargain. —Jack Sullivan

Jack Sullivan is an Associate Editor at AIR MAIL